bar island exists again

One of the things on the agenda for the Two First Posts meetings has been adding an island to the bar area.

I reminded Doug, and Justin, too, last week, that the island had been a real thing back in May of 2025, so it may have ended up in the storage area we've been paying for since the renovation kicked into gear around then.

We also had shelving on the back wall of the bar.

Last week, I asked Justin about the storage contents and he told me he'd check.

I'm hoping that's the source of this new island.

I guess I should have checked a little closer, but I was distracted by the presence of Billy Cope and Joe Cetti, as this was their first meeting in several weeks.

Glad they were there!

Billy had good news to share: he's done wiring the bar area for the five TVs to be connected to Direct TV.

Now it's time for Joe to purchase the TVs and the mounting kits so that will be a done deal!

I guess that's when our long-lost Budweiser sign will be mounted, too.

It's been in storage over at Post 135 ever since we lost our place in Thunderbolt on Victory Drive.

I'm actually amazed they never made use of it!

Interesting tidbit: the Clydesdales were in Savannah a few weeks ago.

This is the 150th anniversary of Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company and will soon be the 100th anniversary of the use of the Budweiser Clydesdales to haul beer to special locations.

They were last here for the St. Patrick's Day Parade, as they have been for many years.

 

So what else is physically new here at 5509/5511 Montgomery Street?

The game room has been sheetrocked and mudded, ready for painting.

All the boxes that had been in the dining area are all gone, allowing for some of the tables and chairs to be placed back into position.

Kat and Mike asked tonight if anyone had any photos with the dining room and bar area all set up for customers.

Their insurance company was requiring pictures to go along with their application, and they didn't have any.

As I told them, I "take photographs of everything, since I'm the historian." 

Then it was a matter of locating said photos on the computer.

I knew exactly what I was looking for... and here they are!

That's a lucky break for our canteen managers!

And, yes, they were here at this last meeting of June.

So were me, Doug, Billy, and Joe for Post 36; Post 500 had Eddie, John, Sabrina, Brenda, and Eric.

That was the best turnout this month!

Doug had even brought Subway sandwiches to slake our hunger... was that from something I said last week?

Quite possibly.

Good! That worked out well for Kat's kids, too. (smile!) 

So, what transpired this evening?

Well, I found out that Kat and Mike have accepted the contract - hooray!

Billy has found a 20-foot container in Texas, in good condition, and for $1000 it's ours, including transport and install - hooray!

He also has Direct TV set up for the TVs, has RING for the cameras and security, and RING Central for the local phone at Two First Posts.

All that was lacking was the email to get those out of his name - done!

Billy said he'll have the WiFi installed for the canteen and the event room in two weeks and will give out new passwords then - very good!

I'm so glad he's been able to devote some time here again!

What else?

John talked about the dark parking lot being a security issue, so that street light needed to be repaired.

I told him "No problem, I've called Georgia Power for those many times!"

In fact, I've just filed the report on their website for Pole 003108, so that task is now done!

I've also sent the photos of the canteen to Kat, so that's off my plate, too.

Justin, on the other hand, will soon have a punch list to complete of items here.

Eddie was quite upset about all the dust all over, as well as the uncompleted projects, so Sabrina is going to have Eric and Billy check the building for electrical and construction items that need to be addressed.

What's the big push?

Kat and Mike have a big event scheduled for July 10: a soccer-watching party for Choate Construction.

She can make it a package deal for them, with liquor costs included, which will simply require a temporary license on her part.

Meanwhile, that will bring in good money for the ballroom use.

Hopefully, the City Council meeting next Wednesday afternoon will net the Two First Posts a liquor license and business license.

It was broached that our presence at that meeting might speed the process, as there are several American Legion members on that council.

Wouldn't that be grand?

Here's hoping it'll go as we wish!